Level maintaining device



Sept. 10, 1940. R. L. JEWELL LEVEL MAINTAINING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l lay/22 2 ,4 9

ATTORNEYS.

p 0, I940 R.- L. JEWELL LEVEL MAINTAINING DEVICE Filed Jan. 14, 1959 2Sheets-Sheet 2 W BY fvzfi I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 10, 1940 PATENT. QFFICE.

LEVEL MAINTAINING DEVICE Raymond L.-..-Jewell,...,Millcreek; Township,Erie County, Pa... assignor to .American- Sterilizer. Company.Erie;.Pa., a corporationof Pennsyl Vania;

Application January 14, IQSBL- 'Serial No. 251,018

12 Claims. (Cl. 20[l--83) The present invention is designed-to maintaini Featiuzes and details of the. invention will appear from thespecification and claims.:=

Preferred embodiments of the -.inv.ention.xar.e 15 "illustratedinsthes..accompanying.drawings as fol.-.

lows:

Fig.1 shows-an elevation, partly in'section, of. a switch elementandcontrols-therefor, the parts being in 'a vertical: position,:-andwith the g switch in the on position.

Fig. 2 shows a section-on the line 2-1-2 in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 shows a view of a switchsimilar to -:Fig.

1,but withtheusupport inclinedpas indicated in the line l'.-I, .V-Vindicating the vertical line as 25;;related to the switchmemben.

Fig. 4 a similar view withsanzopposite inclination from :that of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 a similar view with thesupport; and: switch members in verticalrelation, ,but with the switch in off position.

Fig. 6 a front elevation-.partlyjinsection on the line 66 in Fig. 7.

Fig. '7 a side elevation of .the switchcontrol- I ling mechanism. 351;",Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig.,;6,-but showing the support I inclined.

Fig. 9 a view similar-to Fig. 6,. but with=.a tilted adjustment. of theswitch tubes.

Fig. 10 a view showing the adjustment of the-- ..tubes similar to Fig.9, but with .an .inclination of the support.

- In the structure as shown in Figs. 1.to 5, I marks the'frame oftheswitch support. This has a projection 2 on which the switch member ismounted. A pin 3 is fixed in the-projection 2, the opposite. endof thepinbeing supported by an arm 4 extending from the. frame. A mount ing 5is pivoted on the pin.3. This mounting.

asshown, is U shaped with'two -downwardly ,.extending arms betweenwhich=a..tilting: holder 6 is pivoted. The-outer oneof the arms is-shownbroken away at 5a.

The tilting holder is provided with-aseriesof clips 1, inwhichthemercurygtubes. 8 are placed in the usual manner.--.. The. usual.terminals-.9

extend from the mercury tubes, the switch as showny-being closed whenthe tube is in horizontal position.

A post I I extends from the mounting 5, and thisis connected by a linkIt] with a controlling 5 arm l2; The arm I2 is pivoted on the base I3 oftheirame by means of a pin I4. The controlling arm has a bell crank armI5. Asshown the switch is subjected'to control of a pressure device l6,having 'its movable pressure elementqo llengaging the'bell crankarm I5at I8. -A springiS opposes the pressure element Iii-and" engages-the armI5 at- 2il.- The spring I9 may be thrown into operated position byacontrol member 2 l, which may 'be manually' actuated forthrowingthepressure control in or out of action:- As shownythe pressurecontrol-is in action, but when themember-Z i is rocked, the roller 22,carried by the member, engages the arm IZ directly'and thus controlsit,- through manual 2554.

manipulation-of the member 2L As the arm I2 is. moved, either by thepres-=- sure device -or manu-ally through the -member2i,-this:move1ne11t is communicated through the link 19 to the mounting'5, and the switch member orholder is tilted-so as-tothrow the switcholf or on. A push-member 23 extends-from the upper end of the-armandengagesat 2@ swinging bar -25'-mounted on-the frame-I. A

its lower 7 position. The action of the push'pin'23 is such spring. 26yieldingly holds the bar 25 in that as the arm' I2 moves oif or on, thepush pin tends to carry it past :the center and to-its final adjustmentthrough the urge of the spring-26u These parts so far.-as described,.are substan 1 tially. those illustrated and described in Patent1,991,940. issued. on. February 19,. 1935;.Ron. my application. Inthatlpatent thedevice is utilized for controlling a:sterilizer,. and inplacing such.

. 40.? anxinstrument. or any similar instrument, on

ship board or on supports havingvarying move-s ment. the-movement of thesupport is sufficient. to interfere with the proper functioningof.:the;-.

switch.v The .present tinvention. is designed .2130 :43

maintain the switch in its adjustedposition, not withstanding. .therolling .or moving of .the. sup-. port-and at. thesame time permittingan ad-.. justment ofv the switch without. interfering with such control.

Anintermediategear '21 issjournaled on 113118; pin 3.1 This-gear mesheswith a-gear 28, jour na-led on a pin :29. extending from theuprojec-stion2 ofithe frame. Anarm 30 .extends from;

the -gear:.i28.;.and. a .weight 3|. .is suspended-.bygw

ber as adjusted, either on or off regardless of same number of degreesthat the support swings from the perpendicular maintained by the Weightand indicated by the lines VV. This is accomplished because the gears 32and 28 have the same diameter and respond with equal turning movements.When the mounting 5 is swung on the pin 3 through the action of the linkl0 and arm l2, the gear 32 rolls around the gear 21 to the newadjustment giving to the mercury tubes or switch member, its properinclination. This movement is made without effecting any movement of thegear 29 and consequently places the gear 32 in its new position in suchrelation as to respond to the movements of the support with relation tothe weight, or in other words, to maintain a constant level of theswitch memthe movement to which the support may be subjected.

While I have illustrated the invention, I am having a preferred relationto a mercury switch. It is, in its broader terms, applicable to anydevice, the level of which it is desired to maintain.

While I have shown gear wheels or gear segments involving rolling teeth,it will be under- ;stood that any positively engaging rotative partscommunicating motion in the general manner of gears accomplish thepurpose, and in referring to gears I do not wish to be limited to theordinary tooth wheel.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 to 10, arm 2a extends from theframe I and a post 33 projects from the arm 20. and is provided at itsend with a pintle 34. An arm 35 extends from the projection 2a and ascrew 36 extends through the arm and is provided with a pintle 31 at itsend,

said pintle being concentric with the pintle 34. A tilting frame 38 hasside arms 39 and 48, which are pivoted on the pintles 31 and 34respectively. The arm 40 has an extension 4! on which the weight 42 ismounted. A tube carrying plate 43 has the downwardly extending arms 44and 45. These arms are secured on pintles 46 and 4'! mounted in thearmsor plates 39 and 49 respectively. The clips 1, tubes 8, andterminals 9 are mounted on the plate 43 and form the elements of themercury switch. The arm 45 has the extension 48 and this extension isconnected by a pivot pin 49 with a link 50, the link 58 being connectedto the rock arm l2 in the manner of the link 10 in the structure shownin Figs. 1 to 5. The operating lever I2 is operated in the same manneras in the preceding figures and provides the adjustment of the switch inthe same manner through the link 50.

In the operation of the modification, it will be noted that if theswitch is; closed with the mercury tubes in horizontal position as shownin Figs. 6, '7 and 8, the tubes remain at right angles to the arm 40, 4iand as the arm 40, 4| is maintained in a vertical direction through thegravity acting on the weight, the tubes remain horizontal and in closedposition. This is accomplished because the pivot pin 49 .and pintle 34are concentric so that the relation between thearms 40, 4i and the tubesis not disturbed by any movement such as the inclination of the supportas indicated in Fig. 8. When the arm I2 is moved to open the switch, thelink 50 acting on the extension 48 swings the plate 43 to efiect theinclination of the tubes, as shown in Fig. 9. This throws the pintle 49slightly out of concentric position relatively to pintle 34 but inasmuchas the line connecting the pivots of the link 50 passes through the axisof the pintle '34, the variation of inclination of the tubes due toswinging the support as shown in Fig. 10 is very slight and does notefiect a closure of the switch as the support is inclined and therelative position of the parts are changed through the maintenance ofthe vertical position of the arm supporting the weight. While,therefore, there is a slight movement of the parts in the open positionof the switch and thus lacks the complete neutralizing of such movementas in the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the modification presents apractical structure satisfactory for most installations and with fewerparts and cheaper construction.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a memberto be controlled; a pivotal mounting for the member; a support for themounting; a weight pivotally hung on the support; means communicatingthe movement of the weight relatively to the support to the mem ber; anddevices adjusting the mounting and with it the control of the member,said means maintaining its operative relation with the member with eachadjustment.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a memberto be controlled; a tilting mounting for the member; a pivoted mountingfor the tilting mounting; a pivotally hung weight; a gear in drivingconnection with the tilting mounting; an intermediate gear rotativelymounted on the axis of the pivoted mounting; and a gear in drivingconnection with the weight, the intermediate gear meshing the other twogears andcommunicating movement to the tilting mounting corresponding tothe relative movement between the weight and support- 3. In a device ofthe character described, the combination of a member to be controlled; atilting mounting for the member; a pivoted mounting for the tiltingmounting; a pivotally hung weight; a gear in driving connection with thetilting mounting; an intermediate gear rotatively mounted on the axis ofthe pivoted mounting; a gear in driving connection with the weight, theintermediate gear meshing the other two gears and communicating movementto the tilting mounting corresponding to the relative movement betweenthe weight and support; and means adjusting the member to vary itsrelative position. I

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a memberto be controlled; a tilting mounting'for themember; a pivoted mountingfor the tilting mounting; a pivotally hung weight; a gear centered onthe axis of the tilting mounting and fixed relatively thereto; an

intermediate gear rotatively mounted on the axis tilting mounting forthe member; a pivoted mounting for the'tilting mounting; a pivotallyhung weight; a gear centered on the axis of the tilting mounting andfixed relatively thereto; an intermediate gear rotatively mounted on theaxis of the pivoted mounting; a gear centered on the axis of the pivotof the weight and fixed relatively thereto, the intermediate gearmeshing the other two gears; and means adjusting the member to vary itsrelative position.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a memberto be controlled; a tilting mounting for the member; a pivoted mountingfor the tilting mounting; a pivotally hung weight; a gear in drivingconnection with the tilting mounting; an intermediate gear rotativelymounted on the axis of the pivoted mounting; a gear in drivingconnection with the weight, the intermediate gear meshing the other twogears and communicating movement to the tilting mounting correspondingto the relative movement between the weight and support; and meansacting on the pivotal mounting adj sting the member to varying relativepositiony '7. In a device of the character described, the combination ofa tilting switch to be controlled; a pivotal mounting for the switch; asupport for the mounting; a weight pivotally hung on the support; meanscommunicating the movement of the weight relatively to the support tothe switch; and means adjusting the mounting, said means and devicesmaintaining substantially their operative relation with the switch ineach adjustment as the support is inclined.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tiltingswitch to be controlled; a tilting mounting for the switch; a pivotedmounting for the tilting mounting; a pivotally hung weight; a gear indriving connection with the tilting mounting; an intermediategear-rotatively mounted on the axis of the pivoted mounting; a gear indriving connection with the weight, the intermediate gear meshing theother two gears; and means acting on the pivoted mounting adjusting theswitch to on and 01f position.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support;a frame pivotally mounted on the support; a weight suspended from theframe; a tilting mounting pivoted on the frame; a member to becontrolled carried by the mounting; and means connected to the mountingmoving the mounting for tilting the member, the connection and movementof the means and pivots of the frame and mounting being related tomaintain substantially their operative relation as the support isinclined.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupport; a frame pivotally mounted on the support; a weight suspendedfrom the frame; a tilting mounting pivoted on the frame; a member to becontrolled carried by the mounting; and means connected to the mountingmoving the mounting for tilting the member, the connection of the meansin one adjustment of the parts being substantially concentric with thepivot of the frame, the connection and movement of the means and pivotsof the frame and mounting being related to maintain substantially theiroperative relation as the support is inclined.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupport; a frame pivotally mounted on the support; a weight suspendedfrom the frame; a tilting mounting pivoted on the frame; a member to becontrolled carried by the mounting; and means connected to the mountingmoving the mounting for tilting the member, the connection of the meansin one adjustment of the parts being substantially concentric with thepivot of the frame and the direction of the movement of the connectionbeing across the axis of the frame, the connection and movement of themeans and pivots of the frame and mounting being related to maintainsubstantially their operative relation as the support is inclined.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupport; .a U shaped frame pivotally mounted on the support; a weightsuspended from the U shaped frame; a tilting mounting pivoted betweenthe arms of the frame; an operating arm on the tilting mounting; meansconnected to the tilting arm for actuating the mounting, said connectionbeing substantially in the axis of the frame; and a member to becontrolled carried by the mounting.

RAYMOND L. JEWELL.

